When Disney Infinity first came out, I downloaded the iPad app simply to see what you could do with the cards that came with each figure. I was sorely disappointed with the controls and limitations of that original app, which didn’t come close to matching the functionality in the console game. I was so put off by it that I didn’t download the app in 2.0 and was surprised to hear that the app had become more popular than the console version. Now that 3.0 is here, I decided to give the app a second chance.
Surprisingly, the app version has almost caught up with the console. In fact, it starts exactly the same with the game demo that takes you through all three Play Sets as well as the Toy Box Racing game. In terms of controls, there are two options. One is to use just swipes to control your characters, but I personally prefer the option where you have buttons. You move your character by dragging the directional button with your left thumb, while your right hand controls your ability to jump, punch and lunge (and use the force if playing as a Star Wars jedi).
The app is free, but the characters aren’t. You get limited use with select characters from the three franchises (Disney, Marvel and Star Wars), but after that you will need to either redeem the codes that came with the characters you already own or buy them digitally through the store. Oddly enough, the game doesn’t make logging in to your Disney Interactive account as easy as it should. You have to exit out of the game to the home screen to login. All of my Toy Box saves that I uploaded to my cloud where there for me to download, as well as all of the toys I’ve unlocked throughout the three games. However, to bring my figures into this game I will need to spend considerable time entering all of the codes (and pray that I kept them all from the past games).
One question I had was whether or not you can play the play set games in the app. After all, it plays with the same demo as the console version which seems to exist just to teach you how to play those games. Alas, entering the codes from those games only unlocks the figures, the game itself is not playable here. However, Toy Box Takeover is. You can buy the game disc at retail stores for around $20… or if you’re only using the app, it comes with some character bundles.
3.0 characters are $2.99 each, while 2.0 and 1.0 characters are $1.99. Character bundles allow you to save money by packaging them with other items or characters. Annakin and Ahsoka, for example, would be $5.98 individually, but for $9.99 you can bundle them together with Toy Box Takeover and a pack of sparks. Or, $9.99 can also get you four characters, adding Obi-Wan and Yoda plus a vehicle disc, for the same price. In other words, it’s much cheaper to get characters in the app than it is for the console game where suggested retail price is $13.99 a piece.
It’s easy to see why the app version has become so popular. However, I still prefer the console edition to the app. In addition to offering easier controls and faster load times (it took over a minute for the initial demo to load), it also offers the play set games which are missing here. But if you only want to play in the Toy Box, there’s not much that you can’t do in the app. That coupled with the value savings compared to the console version make it a no brainer for Disney fans looking to play Infinity 3.0 on a budget. The only concern players will have is the app’s size, which is over 3 GB before you begin to add extra content that you can unlock and download.